Starting at
Starting at
153 hp | Horsepower | 130 hp |
40 mpg | MPG Highway | 37 mpg |
Yes | Built-In 4G LTE Wi-Fi | No |
The contenders: two popular sedans, one of them newer than the other. The 2017 Chevy Cruze vs 2017 Nissan Sentra in Cincinnati, OH pose a hard purchasing decision when you first start researching them and comparing one against the other. But once you see the benefits the Cruze has to offer over the Sentra, the decision is actually an easy one to make. Not only does the Cruze outperform the Sentra in fuel efficiency and on the base-level trim, but it also comes with a better warranty and additional car care from Chevrolet. The Sentra? Not so much. Also, in the safety and technology department, Chevrolet is a hard brand to beat lately. That statement certainly holds true when it comes to the Cruze, and the Sentra can’t even come close to lighting a candle compared to it.
Chevy's Cruze is the way to go when you're in the market for a new sedan. There’s just no question about it.
Technology and safety are two big categories when it comes to compact sedans. When it comes to the 2017 Chevy Cruze vs. a 2017 Nissan Sentra, the Cruze wins out in the end. Just look at all the features Chevrolet has that the Sentra doesn’t, like rear parking assist, lane departure intervention, and 4G LTE Wi-Fi.
Rear parking assist is a pretty self-explanatory system, and uses sensors embedded in the rear bumper of the Cruze to let you know how close you get to an object when the vehicle is in reverse. Helpful for getting as close as possible to that car behind you in the parking lot, without actually making costly contact.
While the 2017 Sentra has lane departure warning just like the Cruze, the Cruze one-ups the Sentra’s system. Thanks to having lane departure intervention bundled in. When drifting out of your lane unintentionally (i.e. without using a blinker), the system will detect this and gently nudge the vehicle back into the proper lane. That way, if you get drowsy or distracted, the Cruze still has your back and will keep you on track. Literally.
Perhaps the coolest feature on the 2017 Chevy Cruze is a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, which allows you and your passengers to connect multiple devices for a data-free, high-speed connection. Well, data free for your mobile phone plan, given that you’ll still have to pay for the hotspot's data. But, it's cheaper than the mobile data plans that are circulating through the phone companies. Plus, data isn’t as slow and secure as connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot. The 2017 Chevy Cruze was the first small car to ever have a built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot when Chevrolet first introduced it. In 2017, it’s still the only compact car to offer it. In other words, Sentra shoppers are out of luck.
Teen Driver technology is certainly worth mentioning as well because it is just one more way the Cruze trumps the competition; in this case, the Sentra. It’s a watchdog system that promotes good driving habits for your teenager, even when you aren’t in the car with him or her. All you need to do is enter your PIN in order to set various limits on audio and speed. Or, access the in-vehicle report card to see how far the vehicle drove, if any advanced safety warnings were activated (and how many times they were), and check for overspeed warnings.
For engine options, the 2017 Chevy Cruze only has one. If you think that’s holding it back, then you’re missing the mark. Its 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine is actually one of the best engines on the market right now, especially for a base-trim model. Consider its stats: 153 horsepower/177 lb.-ft. of torque and 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway. I’ll take it!
What’s the Sentra get for a base engine? A 1.8-liter four-cylinder that’s squeaking out 130 horsepower/128 lb.-ft. of torque, which is quite a striking difference. Okay, well if the Sentra gets less horsepower and torque, then it must get better fuel-efficiency, right? Wrong. With fuel efficiency numbers only cresting 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway, the 2017 Chevy Cruze handily beats the Sentra in that regard as well. How? Because, the Cruze’s engine is turbocharged, while the Sentra’s standard engine choice is naturally aspirated.
Faster, full of fun, and overall better base-trim performance is what the Chevy Cruze offers compared to the Nissan Sentra. More than that, the Sentra is only able to outperform the Cruze if you upgrade to the SR Turbo trim. Where a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine is putting out 188 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque. While the horsepower is impressive for an engine of that size, the torque matches the Cruze’s.
Plus, the fuel economy goes down when this engine is equipped. What about the Cruze? Well, when you equip an automatic transmission to it, it can attain a possible best EPA-estimated 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway. The Sentra? It can only reach a possible best of 29 mpg city/37 mpg highway. That’s not even on the SR Turbo trim, by the way, which means the difference in fuel efficiency between the Cruze and Sentra is even greater if an SR Turbo is thrown into the mix.
The numbers speak for themselves in this situation. For the extra $75 on the starting MSRP, why wouldn’t you opt for the Cruze in order to get better standard performance and overall superior fuel economy?
When it comes to warranties and other car care that automotive manufacturers offer on their vehicles, you want to take advantage of the best available. Warranties and the like have always been popular, and a great bait-and-hook for the manufacturer to cast toward consumers. But, in 2017 warranties have more weight as consumers look for that extra protection on their cars.
So, what’s going to get better coverage: the 2017 Chevy Cruze, or the 2017 Nissan Sentra? Let’s find out...
Chevrolet:
Nissan:
As you can see, it’s extremely close. But in the end, Chevrolet comes out on top.
Mainly because Chevrolet offers two included scheduled maintenance visits on the Cruze. Nissan doesn’t do that for the Sentra. Meaning, the first two oil and oil filter changes and tire rotations, under 24 months/24,000 miles, are covered at no cost to you. That adds up, considering your average oil change hovers around $30, sometimes more. Tire rotations aren’t cheap either, which means you’re looking at around $200 in savings in the first 24 months/24,000 miles. And all just for being a responsible car owner, and getting your 2017 Cruze serviced when you’re supposed to. Pretty cool eh?
While anti-corrosion isn’t as worrisome as the bumper-to-bumper or powertrain warranties (which are tied between the two brands, by the way), it’s still important. Chevrolet clearly has the better warranty, considering it would be hard to break 100,000 miles in six years, putting an average of 15,000 miles a year on a vehicle, which renders Nissan’s unlimited mileage rather useless.
For complete car care and warranty coverage, you will benefit more buying a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze as opposed to a 2017 Nissan Sentra.